How long will my insurance premiums be affected by making a claim?

Answer

At Progressive, our motorcycle insurance premiums are based upon three years of claims history. Many other companies also use a three-year period but some companies may look back further, up to five or even seven years. However, not all claims will affect insurance premium. For example, a claim which is filed due to an accident which is someone else’s fault will not result in an increase in premium at Progressive, nor will a claim filed for theft or acts of nature. Also, Progressive Motorcycle customers who file a claim with a payout of less than $500 will not be surcharged, thanks to Progressive’s Small Accident Forgiveness.

Dan Kamionkowsi
Motorcycle Product Manager at Progressive

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For calendar year 2011, the National Insurance Crime Bureau tracked a number of statistics regarding motorcycle theft, including the top 10 stolen brands and the top 10 states for theft. Those lists can be found elsewhere on this site. Here, we list the top 10 months for motorcycle theft based on the NICB findings. In ascending order, they are:

Recently, we published a story on the least expensive motorcycles to insure. In it, the bikes were broken down by category, knowing that consumers aren’t interested in a list entirely of small-displacement beginner bikes. We also kept the list to current models (2013 in this case) available in the United States.
This time we’re going the other direction. Here we have the Top Ten most expensive motorcycles to insure. Yes, we could have listed ten uber-expensive and super-rare motorcycles which cost a fortune to insure, but in the name of practicality this list is comprised of mass produced 2013 models the majority of folks can actually buy.
Again, we averaged quotes from different insurance providers to come up with our rankings. Our fictitious rider is a 30 year-old male, licensed for ten years, with a clean record living in Los Angeles. As always, shop around with your own and other insurance providers to get rate quotes tailored for you and your situation.

Where you live is one of the most important factors insurance companies use in determining your premium. Why? As with age, experience, the type of bike you ride and every other factor considered in computing your rate, where you live comes into the equation for one simple reason: risk.
Statistics show that some areas have higher crime rates than others. So if a higher crime rate equals a higher risk of damage to or loss of your property, it will cost you more to insure anything you own. And that includes your motorcycle. If your motorcycle resides in a location where statistics prove it’s at a greater risk for damage or theft, insurance companies are going to want you to pay a higher premium for coverage.
Overall, 2011 saw 46,667 motorcycle thefts in the US (including Puerto Rico and Washington D.C.), according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Interestingly, that number is down 6% from the prior year – welcome news, as the Motorcycle Industry Council says total motorcycle sales are on the rise, albeit slightly (0.3%).
The list below shows the Top 10 states with the highest rate of motorcycle theft in 2011 (Total number of thefts and most targeted brand in parentheses). Worth noting: these 10 states accounted for 25,983 thefts in 2011 – fully 56% of the total. If you’re trying to insure a bike in one of these states, expect to pay more. Still, experts say things like keeping your motorcycle garaged and hooking up a recovery system such as LoJack will have a positive effect on your premium.

Motorcycle insurance is a slippery subject. With so many options for coverage, it’s hard to keep track of every kind of policy. However, if you live in the States you gotta have at least bodily injury and property damage liability coverage before legally operating your motorcycle. But getting insurance doesn’t have to break the bank.